


My Ghost

by JilyCSLove



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-15
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-02-02 23:19:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12736350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JilyCSLove/pseuds/JilyCSLove
Summary: After a rough Sophomore year of High School, Junior Emma Swan is just trying to make it through the next two years with absolutely no drama, which includes dating or being friendly with any of the football jocks.  Especially Senior football stud Killian Jones.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is based off a book called Hate to Love You. While reading it I couldn't help but picture Killian and Emma in the roles. So I thought I would give it a go. Some passages/conversations, especially in the beginning, are from the book.

_You're a "Rolling Stone", boy_  
"Never sleep alone", boy  
"Got a million numbers  
And they're filling up your phone", boy 

“Break into groups of three or four.” The teacher raised the worksheet in the air. “Go over these discussion questions, and one person will share with the class. Go.” Emma gave an internal groan before glancing around from her spot in the second-to-last row. She was a Junior and this class was mostly Seniors. Gripping her seat, she turned to her left but the blonde cheerleader and her friends were already in a group of five. Emma wanted to spitefully remind them it was only supposed to be a group of four but she just turned to look in front of her, sighing as her lone friend (more an acquaintance, considering they only ever talk in that class) shrugged apologetically already being in a group with those around her.

Emma knew who sat behind her and she didn’t want to look that way. He sat there the first day of class. She was in the second-to-last row on that day and had watched him trail in with his football buddy. 

He was big. He was muscular. He was gorgeous. 

He was Killian Fucking Jones. 

The High School Senior football God. It was so incredibly cliche how hot he was. Dark hair, the bluest eyes surrounded by long dark eyelashes, a jaw so masculine and perfect. Arms, oh man those arms that just rippled in any type of t-shirt he wore. 

Emma felt a kick on her chair and she ground her teeth as Killian leaned forward and said into her ear, “You can join my group Swan.”

Swan. As if she was one of his football mates. As if he knew who she was. As if they were friends. 

Resigned Emma turned to the already group of three. One of his football buddies and the buddies girlfriend. Thankfully she wasn’t one of the cheerleader girlfriends. No one would ever accuse Regina Mills of being a cheerleader. In fact they would probably get their ass kicked by said girl if they were to even suggest her being the cheerleader sort. His buddy was Robin Locksley, also on the football team, but he was one of the players Emma could actually stomach being around, he had kind eyes and an easy smile. He was smiling now as Emma settled her desk with theirs. 

“How did you know my last name?” She asked, glancing back down to her desk as Robin slid the worksheet over for her to see. 

“James told me to look out for his sister Emma Swan.”

She looked up and tried not to feel the punch to her chest. God. He was gorgeous. Those eyes were focused right on her. They weren’t looking away. All of his concentration was there. Her mouth was dry. 

“You’re friends with my brothers?” 

Her foster twin brothers that she had gone to live with when she was just twelve years old. The Nolan’s had taken her in and accepted her as one of their own when no other foster family would. And though she had been a hard ass twelve year old, the twin brothers, just two years older, with their blonde hair and light blue eyes had accepted her as one of them from the start. They along with their mother broke down her walls one by one and within a year she knew she had found her forever home. 

Killian tilted his head, those eyes were laughing at her. He lifted his lips up in a slight smirk, slight grin. “The other night at practice we got to talking about classes. Said you were taking some upperclass classes. Told me to look out for you.” Those lips lifted the rest of the way into a full smirk. “He said his sister would have a chip on her shoulder. Knew right away who he was talking about.”

She rolled her eyes. She was so going to kick James’s ass when she got the chance. 

Emma had a chip on her shoulder for a reason. For many reasons in fact. The most recent being Neal Cassidy. Another football player but nobody, not even her foster brothers, knew the whole story behind that. And as far as she was concerned they never would. He would be graduating that year and she could finally move on with her life. 

Robin held up the worksheet, “We’re supposed to talk about abortion.”

—

By the end of class Emma felt worn out. From the discussion she tried hard to avoid. From Killian’s eyes she managed to mostly avoid and from Regina’s no nonsense attitude she could not avoid. They were told more than once to keep it down. And it wasn’t even that they disagreed about where they stood on the topic, they just disagreed on how to present it to the class. 

So when the teacher announced just before the bell rang, “Okay. Good discussion. Now exchange numbers and information with your group members. This is the group you’re going to be doing your final presentation with at the end of the semester. It’s one-third of your grade.” Emma couldn’t help the groan as her head fell to her desk. 

Killian laughed as he shuffled to collect his stuff and right his desk. She doesn't lift her head, refusing to look at him and just as she thinks she is in the clear she shivers as he he leans close to her ear, whispering, “Look at that. More to look forward to.” He patted her back and stood up. “Thanks, Swan. I knew this class wasn’t going to be boring.”

And when she finally lifted her head he was gone with the rest of the class.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma met Mary-Margaret and Ruby at their normal meeting spot after school. Ruby waved at her from the bleachers as Mary-Margaret watched the boys on the football field. No, she watched just one certain boy, Emma’s foster brother David. The two have been inseparable since the day Emma came to live with the Nolan’s and have been an official couple since the girls started their Freshman year of High School. 

“Hey Mary-Margaret.” 

Her dark hair friend looked up and smiled, “Hi Emma.”

“Are we staying?” Some days they stayed and watched her brothers practice after school, some days they walked to Main Street and grabbed an ice cream or a shake. 

“Mmmm.” 

Emma raised an eyebrow at Ruby and tossed her backpack down on a bench, “Looks like we’re staying.”

—

“Hey someone’s heading over here.” Mary Margaret said interrupting Ruby’s story. Emma glanced over her shoulder and instantly turned back around. 

“Is it David?” Ruby asked. Usually he tried to come over during one of their breaks when the girls hung out. 

“No.” Mary Margaret was squinting, “Not David. It’s…”

Cleats hit the bleachers loudly and a low, smooth voice called out, “Swan!”

That voice was a caress in and of itself. Emma slowly turned her back to her friends to face the owner of the voice. Instead of the smirk she had expected to see tugging at his lips, he wore a serious expression. It made his eyes even more smoldering, if that were possible.

“Jones?”

He held out his hand and Emma tilted her head in question. He wiggled his fingers and said, “I need your phone.”

“Um..” she glanced back to Ruby and Mary-Margaret before meeting his very blue eyes again. His hair was sweaty and laid flat across his forehead. It was almost as good a look on him as when it was styled. “Why?”

“You didn’t exchange numbers with anyone for the group project.”

“I’ll exchange with Regina.”

“No you won’t. Give me your phone.”

Emma felt her phone being pulled out of her pocket but she was too late as she made a grab for it. Ruby was already putting in her passcode and handing it over. 

“Hey!” Emma tried to make a grab for it but Killian turned his back to her, blocking her as she tried to move around him to grab it. She rested her hands against his back and felt his muscles tense, shifting under his jersey. He turned to grin at her, “Feel free to explore more, I won’t turn down a quick grope.”

Emma jerked her hands off him and he turned handing the phone to her, their fingers brushing. 

“Thanks for the assist, Lucas.”

Ruby grinned, “Anytime.”

A shout came from across the field and Killian glanced over his shoulder, “I’ll call you later Swan.”

“No!” Emma said but he was already jogging off and so she turned to Ruby, “Traitor!”

Ruby held up her hands and laughed, “I just didn’t see the harm in letting a hot guy have your number. And when I say hot I mean hot. Seriously have you seen the ass on that man?!?”

Emma glanced back once more and both Ruby and Mary-Margaret started laughing. 

—

Emma was sitting at the kitchen table with David when James strolled in, his hair wet from a recent shower. “Hey there’s a party tonight at Scarlets, you coming?” He said to David. 

“Can’t. Too much homework.”

“What about you little sister? Up for a football party?”

That reminded her, “I have a bone to pick with you.” Emma said as he grabbed an apple and hopped up onto the counter. He took a big bite of the apple and grinned down at her. James and David were identical twins, identical in looks and both played football well. But that was where the similarities stopped. The easiest way for Emma to explain the differences of the two to anyone was James was the bad boy, David was the good boy. James caused their mom the most worry, he stayed out past curfew more than he came home by curfew, he drank, Emma knew he did some drugs, he made grades just good enough to pass, and he had a different girlfriend every couple of weeks. David was in AP classes, he was always home before curfew, and he had the same girlfriend all through high school.

“What’s that?” Apple flew out of James’s mouth and both her and David protested loudly. 

“You are so disgusting.” David said as he flicked a piece of apple off his arm. 

Emma pointed her pencil at James, “You talked to Killian Jones about me.”

James shrugged, “And?”

“I don’t want you to talk to any of your football buddies about me. Least of all Killian Jones.”

“I would think Cassidy would be the least of all.”

“James.” David growled in warning. 

James hopped down from the counter, “Sorry. Look Jones and Locksley were talking about their AP Politics class and I mentioned you were in there. He knew who you were immediately.”

“You told him I have a chip on my shoulder.”

“You do.”

“You don’t have to tell people that.”

His mouth curved up into a wicked grin, “Are you kidding me? It’s the easiest way to explain you to anyone.”

Emma glanced at David and his eyes were sympathetic as he shrugged. Emma knew she had a chip on her shoulder, it was there for a reason. So guys like Killian Jones would stay far, far away. Or so she had hoped.

“Whatever. Just.” Emma rubbed her finger between her eyebrows to ward off a headache, “Don’t talk to your buddies about me anymore.”

James shrugged and tossed the apple into the trash before ruffling Emma’s hair, “Whatever. I guess that’s a no to the party. I’ll catch you two lame asses later.”

“How are you even related to him, let alone his identical twin?” Emma asked, not for the first time. David just gave a derisive snort. 

—-

It was early Sunday morning when her phone woke her, too early for anyone she knew to be calling her. So she couldn’t be blamed for not checking the caller id before answering. Which she cursed herself for the rest of the day. 

“Swan “

Emma groaned and the smoothest chuckle sounded in her ears. 

“We have a pop quiz tomorrow.”

“What do you want?” 

“I… Did you not hear me?”

Emma yawned, “Yeah. Pop quiz. How do you know this”

“I have my ways. Look we’re meeting at Granny’s for lunch. Bring your books and notes”

“Who?” Emma felt herself start to drift back to sleep. 

“Locksley, Regina. Myself.”

“Ugg you lost me when you mentioned yourself. I think I’ll pass.” She pulled her phone away from her ear to hang up, pausing as he let out a shout. 

“What?” Emma whined as she put the phone back to her ear. 

“Just come. Please. I know you want to get a good grade. I promise we’ll study more than fuck around.”

They were both silent for a few moments before Emma said “Okay.” Then hung up without another word.  
\---

Killian was lounging against a pillar in front of Granny’s when she walked up. He had one leg propped up, his arms crossed over his chest which did absolutely amazing things to his biceps. Emma darted her eyes away as he pushed off the pillar and met her. 

“Wasn’t sure you would actually show.”

Emma shrugged, tugging on the strap of her backpack, “Let’s just get this over with.”

He grinned and she ducked her head. His low and smooth chuckle followed her as she passed him, and she swore that it got inside her. She could feel it under her skin.

She really, really wished it didn’t.

\---

Sunday afternoons at Granny’s Diner was for the High School crowd. Tables were pushed together, snacks were ordered and books laid out. It’s when everyone caught up on homework assigned over the weekend. Emma spent half of her Sophomore year at the Diner on Sundays with a different football player. So when she walked in after spending the past six months avoiding the place on this particular day, she stopped in the doorway. Killian let out a low ooff as he avoided running into her. There was Neal Cassidy at his usual table, body tilted sideways, the girl, the cheerleader, sitting on one of his legs.

“I don’t think I can do this.” Emma whispered as her breathing became shallow. Turning, she pushed past Killian and back out the door. 

“Hey, hey!” Killian jogged after her, grabbing her arm, “What’s wrong?”

Emma shook her head, “I can’t be in there. I’ll study on my own.”

“No. Come on, the others are waiting on us. Locksley’s really nervous about this quiz and Regina actually wants you there.”

“I can’t.”

His hand slid down her arm and he squeezed her hand as he ducked down to look her in they eyes, “What is it? Is it someone in there?”

Emma felt her insides melt at how close he was, she could smell his cologne and fuck this was the last thing she needed in her life right now. She jerked her hand from him and turned, “My ex.” She said through gritted teeth. 

“Oh. Cassidy.” She doesn’t respond and he shuffled behind her, “Look I get it. I do. But you can’t let that jackass dictate where you can go.” Killian stepped around her and his eyes were so sincere as they met hers, “Don’t let him have that.”

Emma tilted her head up to the sky, “Ugg. You’re right.”

“Don’t sound so surprised.” He said chuckling, “Come on. We’re not sitting anywhere near Cassidy and I won’t let him even look at you.”

Emma huffed out a breath and turned to face the door. She chanced a look at Killian and his blue eyes looked so sincere. Not a hint of a smirk, “Okay let's do this.”

Killian stepped forward and pushed the door open, holding it for her. He dipped into a bow and winked as she stepped through causing a chuckle to fall from her lips. With a shake of her head she made her way to the table Robin and Regina were seated at and sat with her back to Neal and his table. 

___

Emma closed her locker door and turned to head to her Politics class. She startled as an arm settled across her shoulders. She tensed and a soft chuckle grazed her ear. “Morning love.” So arrogant, so cocky.

“Not your love.” Emma said as she shrugged his arm off.

Killian chuckled, “Right. Admit it, I’m starting to grow on you. In fact I believe you’re starting to like me.”

“Grow on me? Like an annoying fungus maybe.” She shook her head, the last thing she needed was Killian Jones causing more high school drama for her. And that’s all he was good for. She knew boys like him. Had dated one like him and she refused to let it happen again.

“I don’t like you.” Emma stopped turning to face Killian. And that was a mistake, his blue eyes were bright, “Look just because we had a study session doesn’t mean we’re buddies now. I’m not friends with football players, I don’t date football players and you and your” She waved her hand up and down to indicate his body “charming ways aren’t going to change that.”

Another half-laugh, half in surprise and half in amusement, “Fuck, you’re feisty.” And he swung his arm back across her shoulders again as he directed them down the hallway. 

They entered the classroom together and made their way back to their seats. His arm slid off her shoulders as he bumped fists with Robin. Emma slid into her seat and felt like the rest of the class was looking at her. Her friend in front of her was turned in her seat and she mouthed, “What was that?” Emma wrinkled her nose but was distracted by her phone alerting her to a new message. 

Neal Cassidy: WTF? You’re with Jones now?

Emma glanced up but of course Neal wasn’t in there. The tardy bell rang and their teacher stood from his desk, “Pop quiz, everyone.” There were groans all around her. Behind her Killian and Robin chuckled

Emma glanced at the message one more time before pushing the power button and sliding her phone back in her pocket. Why was Neal texting her and why did he care who she was dating? She hadn’t heard from him in months. Not a text, not a look, nothing. And she preferred it that way. After what he did to her last year. 

A paper slid in front of her and she glanced down at the pop quiz, sighing. Well at least this was something she could easily get through. 

 

Robin chuckled loudly as the bell rang dismissing class and they collected their books, “That was so easy.”

“Sshh.” Regina elbowed him in the ribs, “Don’t give us away.”

“What?” He said as they passed by Emma’s desk, “It’s not like we cheated, we just studied.”

Emma stood and tensed as Killian leaned down, “Why so tense?” he whispered in her ear before straightening with her books in his arms

“Please don't carry my books.” 

He grinned back at her, a single eyebrow arching up as he walked to the front of the classroom, “Too late.”

That grin would be her undoing and she wanted more than anything for it not to happen. 

“I don’t know if you know this, Jones, but you’re a little stressful to deal with.” She said answering his original question. 

He barked out a laugh, stopping in the doorway to block her from exiting. The rest of the class along with the teacher had already left and it was just the two of them, “That’s called charisma and primal animal sexiness. It oozes out, and you are affected. You’re just so messed up you don’t even know what it is. Your body is stressed from fighting itself so you don’t lunge at me. I know what’s good, Swan.” He dropped his tone, leaning into her space, “And it’s definitely me.”

Emma rolled her eyes, shoving at his shoulder, “Do you even listen to yourself? Primal animal sexiness, what even is that?”

His eyebrow arched and the smirk on his face screamed danger. Emma tried to step to the side to pass through the door but his hand wrapped around the back of her neck as he tossed their books onto a desk. 

“Hey, what…”

Her words were swallowed by his mouth on hers.


End file.
